Princess Tutu: Barrier Between the Worlds
by Akio Ane-Chan
Summary: When a new girl, Kuragari Sora, enters Kinkan Academy, things go wrong. First Akira's friend, Sushi, get's ill whenever she looks Kuragari, and on top of that, the new girl is always disappearing and nobody seems to notice except Akira...There are dreams,
1. Chapter 1

Prolouge:  
Akira, Tira, and Sushi 

_**"I feel like making another story...One that is one million times better than that Drosselmeyer has ever imagined..."**_

It was a new year at Kinkan Academy. In fact, two years after Prince Mytho regained his heart. Everything was calm, and classes continued like nothing had ever happened. There were many new students this year. Talented and determined to be the best they can.

Akira whispered to one of her friends, "Guess what! I heard that there's ONE more person entering."

Tira had short brown hair. Spiked out at the ends. She was characterized by her outstandish tomboy attitude. She smiled serenely and replied, "I heard that it was two. Partners in fact."

The two continued on about the subject. Arguing that there wasn't place left at the Academy for two more students.

"What are you two doing?" A soft, serious, and shy voice said. Akira looked to her right. There was a small statured girl standing beside her. She had long, flowing, blonde hair, an extremely shy attitude, and pale blue eyes that didn't seem to be fixed on anything. Her name was Sushi, it was her birthname, and she was blind.

Sushi tapped her fingers together, while her head was facing the ground, "I...I heard that there weren't any new students coming...I asked Neko Sensei and he said...he said that there weren't anymore students entering...It...it may not be much, but...that's all I know of so far..."

Sushi ran away not hitting one thing in her path. She may have been blind, but she could sense people and things around her using her hearing, heat that exuded out of certain objects, and sensing an aura around certain things.

Akira sighed, "I'll never understand her..."

Neko Sensei entered and he began drilling everyone...No one else appeared that day. No new students...no new faces. Everyone who was at the Academy, were the ones attending that year.

Chapter One:  
Two Within Love

Akira lay in bed that night, she was too tired to move. Neko Sensei's drills had tired her out so much.

"Akira, get some sleep, if today was hard, wait till tomorrow, and then this year...it's all work." Tira sighed.

"I...I know, but...I guess I have no excuse..." She replied softly, "I'm sorry I kept you up."

Tira was already asleep...

Neko Sensei smiled and greeted his students that morning. It was kind of misty, but warm.

"Today, we'll be separating the students into classes so that you will be easier to teach."

Tira whispered to Akira, "Yeah, in nice terms...In REAL terms it means we're gonna be separating the idiots from the geniuses..."

Akira gestured to her, and Tira let out a great smirk.

"First up, Sushi. Please show me something." Neko Sensei asked.

Sushi stood up beside Tira, who hadn't even noticed the silent beauty. She stepped forward gracefully, balancing her weight on her toes to begin her dance. She swirled around bending forward and then leaning back once she reached her starting point. And she began. Her arms were held gracefully away from her body as she swirled. When she jumped, her hair flowed like the ocean. When she landed, she twirled lithely and regained a stance with her hands above her head in a strong position. It was an awe inspiring dance, but it was a sad dance at the same time...like the story of a broken angel. A story about herself. She was the broken angel sent from heaven...and this was emphasised even more by her white leotard.  
Sushi finished up with a final bow and walked back to her seat.

Neko Sensei was definetly impressed by her performance, because Sushi was sent straight to the special group without any further notice.

Sushi, on the other hand, didn't even, in the slightest manner, seem at all excited or happy about her achievement. She wasn't anything. She had the same neutral face on as usual.

Neko Sensei called the next person up...Kuragari Sora.

Akira thought, that name was not familiar. She twirled her soft, creamy blue hair as she thought once again.

Neko Sensei had to call the name again...then someone finally stepped up.

She had short black hair that was spiked in a cute manner, and lightly tanned skin, unlike Akira's, which was peachy. She also had a black and blood red corsette leotard that set her apart from the group. It seemed like a performance outfit, but Akira skipped it,  
thinking that Kuragari must have come from an unbelievably rich bloodline...The girl was beautiful, but she didn't seem to acknowledge it, because she never fiddled with her hair while she was waiting and didn't seem to have worn any makeup today.

In fact, Akira had never seen this girl...and she definetly wasn't at the Academy yesterday.

Kuragari began to move forward, but she wasn't moving alone. Behind her was the most handsome boy Akira had ever seen.

Neko Sensei was annoyed with Kuragari by now, "I told you to come up...this is a solo dance.  
Why did you bring a partner. If you don't tell him to sit down...I'll MARRY YOU RIGHT NOW."

Kuragari didn't seem unnerved by Neko Sensei's statement. She just walked by with her red eyes peering at Neko. She had her head tilted downward making her look ominous. How could someone so beautiful look so evil?

Neko Sensei in return wasn't unnerved by HER show of rebellion, instead he agreed to let her dance with a partner. The show went underway.

Kuragari stood by her partner. He held his hand out to her, and she accepted gracefully.  
She twirled into his arms and he picked her up into the air. She looked even more radiant in the sunlight than ever before. Everyone watched in awe as Kuragari danced with her partner.  
Even Sushi could sense a strong energy resonating from the two, it made her shiver...She leaned against Tira...

"Akira." Tira whispered. "Sushi...she looks ill..."

Akira turned and moved so that she could see Sushi in clear view. She was ill...Her pale were fading and her skin looked extremely flushed. Akira took off her light jacket and wrapped it around Sushi.

By now Kuragari's dance was over. Sushi stopped shivering...she lay serenely against Tira's shoulder.

As the dark girl passed, she stopped by Sushi's side. She looked at the three of them.  
Akira looked back. Their eyes met, and only for a moment...the world seemed to have stopped.

Class ended early that day. Neko Sensei wanted everyone to get some fresh air.

It was a moist day, the outskirts of Kinkan town was barely seen due to the mist.  
Nevertheless, it was a beautiful day. Akira ran by the girls dorm. She ran up the spire, and to the top. To Kuragari's room. She knocked twice.

"Kuragari? Kuragari Chan? Are you there?"

There was no answer, so Akira, overwhelmed by question, entered anyway.

_What's inside? Oh, probably a luscious red satin bed with beautifully smooth black satin pillows, to match her beatutiful leotard. Oh, what it must be like to come from such rich descent._ Akira thought to herself.

The door creaked open very slowly. Sweat beaded down her head in small drops. The anxiety was overpowering...

Akira licked her lips as her grip tightened on the door knob. As she looked inside, she was amazed...it was empty. Cobwebs were strung across everything. Like no one had inhabited the room for years...Akira stepped through the cobwebs. She touched the bedpost, she cleaned the webs, she sat at the window...

_There was a bird here once..._She thought to herself..._I don't know why...but all this seems so familiar..._

At the same time, she was thinking about Kuragari...if she was a student at Kinkan Academy, why doesn't she have a room...

"Excuse me, but I think you are lost." A cold, but akwardly friendly voice said.

Akira turned around. Kuragari Sora was standing behind her with that famous corsette leotard on. This time intricately decorated with a black satin tutu...She had a red Rose in her hand as she held it close to her heart.

"I am sorry this room is not as decorated as one would imagine...I guess me being in this leotard makes people think that I'm rich...but no. I recieved this as a present from a friend..." She said in a now sad tone.

Akira could tell that it was a present from her partner.

"I was planning to redecorate..."

"Well, I'll leave you to it." Akira replied.

Akira began to leave, but as she neared the door, she felt more uncomfortable. Like Kuragari burning a hole in her back...

That afternoon was uneventful. Akira spent her time staring at the sky, hoping that the sunset might come a little earlier than it was supposed to.

Tira snuck up behind her, "OI! Guess what! I got a chat with that boy, you know Kuragari's partner! His name is Nymenchi Narakawa. He wasn't a talkative man, but he was much more polite than Sora."

"Tira, why does this concern me?" Akira asked.

"Because if I recall, during dance practice you had your eyes glued to the boy..." Sushi Namaka was standing right over Akira.

She blushed, "I...I was NOT. He had something akward on his face..."

"Denial is the first step to acceptance." Tira smiled.

The three of them stared out to the lake...From their point on the docks, things seemed peaceful. It was wonderful.

_Akira, I have a favor to ask of you...Keep Sushi and Kuragari away from each other...When Kuragari dances keep Sushi away...and when Sushi dances keep Kuragari away...Do not let them see each other...Do not let them touch each other...Akira...Akira...Akira...Akira?_

"Akira?" Tira's voice called. "Wake up we're gonna be late for dance practice. Sushi's waiting for us."

Dance practice took place as usual. It started out with roll call...which in fact was taken by first name...

"Akira...Dena...Carama...Haruka...Myra..."

_Wait a minute..._Akira thought to herself..._Kuragari comes BEFORE Myra...Kuragari was here last night..._

Akira raised her hand and shouted out to Neko Sensei before he even called on her, "Neko Sensei, where is Kuragari Sora!"

Neko Sensei smiled almost hysterically, "What are you talking about Akira!KURAGARI! That's an interesting imagination you have Akira, but there is no one in this Academy by the name of Kuragari Sora."

"But Neko Sensei, I swear, she was here yesterday. I went to her room! She said...she said...she said she hadn't decorated it...yet..."

"Akira are you sure you don't want to see the nurse?"

"Neko Sensei I'm serious!"

"Akira, go see the nurse, and take the rest of the day off...now..."

"I can't believe you got released from class today, Akira." Tira sighed. "Is something wrong?"

Sushi sat silently beside Akira, "You seemed strange today...and last night you were sweating...I sensed the heat exuding from your body and when I touched your face, you were moist..."

Akira stared out at the lake..._Is there something wrong with me? Is this all in my imagination? Great, yet another day I go without knowing where I stand in my class._

Sushi stood up, "Akira, rest for today...you are thinking too much. You have to stop." She began to step forward, ready to wash her hands in the lake, but her foot swung in front of her and she slid into the water. Very quickly, she was consumed by the lake. Bobbing up and down in a panic, but not saying a word.

Tira and Akira jumped up.

Running back into Kinkan town, Tira screamed about getting some help. "Please Akira, try to get Sushi out of the lake!"

_**"It is time..."**_

Swooping toward the lake, there was a faint red light, that Akira chose to ignore. As she neared the surface of the water, she felt consumed by something, then a second later, she felt enclosed. Akira felt like something was wrapping itself around her ankles...She felt open air against her arms and legs...She felt lighter and more graceful...

Then it was all over, and she was on her knees peering into the river in a trance...

_Memories... _Akira suddenly thought.

There was the Prince...before his heart...

A man named Fakia...

Rue San...the fabled dancer...

Ahiru the duck transforming into Princess Tutu...

and...Akira...dressed in Tutu's clothes...

_I AM Princess Tutu._

She looked across the lake, there was nothing at the surface...

Sushi had gone under, and it was now time for Princess Tutu to act. She stepped on top of the lake, her light frame made it possible to stand over the water. She looked down at one point...

_Sushi is right under me...I can...feel her..._

Twirling once, Princess Tutu was suddenly pulled under the water.

It was dark and cold under the surface. Like ice being engraved into your skin. Princess Tutu closed her eyes for the duration and swirled down the lake. It was surprisingly deep for a lake, but that didn't matter because Sushi was within sight.

Princess Tutu reached out her hand, "Come with me, Sushi. You do not belong in darkness...Let me take you back..."

Sushi turned her head, "I was sent here by the Angel...and I am helpless to fight back..."

"I am here, so no Angel can hurt you. Please, come to the surface with me."

Sushi held out her hand to Tutu. Princess Tutu reached back. Their fingertips barely touched, when Tutu was blown back with a powerful force.

Sushi spoke, "The Angel does not want you to get close to me. You are a threat Princess Tutu. Please, leave me..."

"No curse can ever prevent me from saving a friend. With all my heart..." She held her hands close to her heart. "I will rescue you."

Princess Tutu stepped once forward and began with a soft stance that had her hands below her stomach. She raised her arms and twirled her hands around each other, then held out her hand to Sushi, "Please, Miss Sushi, dance with me."

Sushi held out her hand without question. Their fingers touched...but now they were able to have a complete grip of each other. Princess Tutu took the lead, guiding Sushi Namaka through a graceful dance. Tutu spun Sushi under arm and held her as Sushi leaned back. The two danced around each other sometimes avoiding each other in an intricate pattern and other times, depending on each other to complete the move.

Finally, Tutu held her hand out to Sushi one last time, "Let's go home."

_Those voices I always hear...who are they coming from...and why does Kuragari disappear like that? I don't understand._

Yesterday's event had tired Akira out so terribly. She lay flat on her bed, but she couldn't get a wink of sleep the last night. Her mind was wandering too much...

There were two knocks at the door, "A...Akira. Neko Sensei requests that you...you escort Kuragari...t...to class."

_I thought Kuragari wasn't here yesterday...in fact...I thought she wasn't apart of our Academy yesterday!_ Akira was concerned, "But, I thought she wasn't here yesterday."

"A...Akira, she was here. Are you ok?"

"...Oh, right, how silly of me. Of course, I'll pick her up. Go ahead and get to class Sushi. I'll bring her later." Akira said, faking over her confusion. Besides, the voice told her that the two girls should not ever be together.

Sushi left without another word, soon after that, Akira exited her room and headed straight for Kuragari's.

The creamy blue haired girl knocked politely. There were light footsteps that got gradually heavier. An unlocking sound. Then Kuragari, as radiant as ever, was standing in front of her. She seemed sort of disappointed that Sushi was not with her. She said she would have liked to meet her and get to know her, but Akira explained that there was no point in her being delayed. Kuragari smiled emptily and the two girls left.

"We will be practicing a story play for the next few months. When it is ready, we will be presenting it to the residents of Kinkan town...Ah..my dream...it will be coming true so soon." Neko Sensei fantasized.

He began twitching hysterically, but regained his composure when Tira asked what it was about. "Ok, here's the jist of it all...There were two Angels, an Angel of Heaven and an Angel of Hell. The two coexisted, Hell always fighting for dominance and Heaven defending her power. At one point, the Hell Angel blinded the Heaven Angel. Without her sight, the Angel lost all her power and memory and vanished to Earth where she resided for years. The Hell Angel content with her stolen power also vanished into darkness. Slowly, the Earth was consumed by darkness and everything began to vanish. As a last resort, Earth created its own Angel, the Earth Angel. This Angel was to act as a barrier that separated the Heaven and Hell Angel. The sole person who could restore balance to the world. So a girl was chosen and she sought out for the Heaven Angel. When she found the Angel, the two became close, so it made protecting Heaven easier. But the peace would not last long, for the Hell's Angel knew that the Earth Angel was a threat to her ultimate plan. She returned to Earth determined to destroy the Heaven Angel and insure that the world would plummit deep into eternal darkness. Every so often she would appear and disappear, trying to take a toll on the Heaven Angel. Finally, during a last showdown between Heaven and Hell, the Earth Angel returned sight to the Heaven Angel. Now with her power restored, she and the Earth Angel sealed Heaven and Hell away for eternity...

The Earth Angel, distraught and shaken at the loss of her friend, erased the memory of that day from everyone, including herself...The Earth Angel returned to Earth a normal girl...with no memory of her past life..."

Akira's eyes widened..._The voices...The memories...The disappearances...Sushi and Kuragari...They're the Heaven and Hell Angels...and...and I, Princess Tutu, I...I'm...the Earth Angel..._

An overpowering feeling befelled Akira. Her pupils dialated and she fell backward. Consumed by her own darkness...


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two:_**

_Dance of the Two Crows_

"Akira, Akira..." A soft voice called...

Akira slowly came to...she was tired...

"Mmm...Sushi?" She said...

Sushi replied, "Are you ok...in class...y-you seemed very ill..."

Akira sighed with all her energy...she had to tell Sushi what she had discovered...

**_"Mmm...mm...there will be none of that in my story Akira...you have to play by the rules like the rest of us...play out my story...where good...never wins..."_**

"S-Sushi..." Akira began...but that was it, there was no energy left...it was akward, as she tried to process how she lost so much...

"Just rest right there!" Tira cried. "I'll find you some water..."

Tira darted out of the room...Akira stared at the now empty door...

_I can't believe she has flourished so... _She told herself_. Tira...she was an orphan growing up...her parents left her behind and then vanished without a trace. Tira...she is so strong, determined to become something...determined to make herself into someone who her parents would be so proud of...wherever they were...She doesn't even know her own last name...she has so much to get back..._

All of a sudden the door filled with the thin figure of Tira the tomboy...She stared at Akira, who was looking straight at her face, not even blinking, with a small hint of empathy, pity, and saddness bundled up into one package.

"Whaddya want, even though ur unwell, it's not polite to stare!" She cried almost embarassed, for it seemed like Akira stare was piercing her clothes to the inside. Tira set the water down on a table and wrapped her arms around her chest. "Ah, stop staring."

Akira smiled innocently, since she could no longer talk.

Sushi was staring into emptiness like she had always done with her blind eyes, "A-Akira...that Kuragari girl...where is she?"

Akira tried to force words out of her mouth, knowing that Tira had no clue about Kuragari's where abouts...

"I'm right here, Ms. Namaka..." The same cold voice spoke. Kuragari walked in wearing the traditional school uniform. "I came to deliver Akira's part in the performance...I'm surprised at the part you have gotten...you perform much better than what Neko Sensei thinks...but none the less, this is the part she has obtained."

She handed the script over to Akira...

The creamy blue haired girl eyed the text...

"The part of the young maiden, Aiske. The Earth Angel's companion..."

"Then who is the Earth Angel?" Sushi asked.

Kuragari smiled, "Tira."

The brown haired girl froze, "I'M...ME? I'M THE LEAD!" Her hands dropped from her protective position. Her green and black sleeved top dangled freely with her arms. Her leg began to shake violently back and forth. Her black loose jeans waved in accordance with her leg..."Wow, I wasn't expecting a part this big for a while."

Akira struggled to speak, "H-how many times do I appear on stage? A-And what about y-you and S-Sushi..."

Kuragari smiled almost demonically, "Mhmm...I'm almost glad that you found the strength in you to ask...I'm the Dark Angel, and Sushi..."

Akira knew what was coming, "T-The Angel of Light..."

Kuragari almost looked shocked, but the shock turned back into a smile.

"Kuragari?" A voice outside the door asked. "May I come in."

"Yes, Nymenchi."

The boy stepped in very slowly, hiding half of his body behind the door, almost reluctant to enter. He had beautiful brown hair that fell down his face, between the thick sections of hair that covered his face, were the almost hidden beautiful blue eyes, sparkling with radiance. This Nymenchi was nothing like the Nymenchi as seen in his dance with Kuragari...

He smiled amiably showing the whites of his teeth in a sweet gesture. Akira stared at him...

"I'm sorry I had to interfere...but Kuragari and I have to prepare for the dance." He laughed, "I'm the hero that fights beside the Earth Angel!"

Sushi opened her mouth, "I didn't know there was a part like that..."

"There wasn't Neko Sensei added it in so that I could have a main role."

Kuragari turned, "Well I obviously have to practice. Goodbye." And she left with Nymenchi.

Akira spent that day resting. At least until tomorrow, when she has to assume the position of fair maiden, Aiske.


End file.
